Transportation Is Still Barrier Along Road To Equal Access

Opening Doors

Denise Shepard is doing what many women in their 30s are doing -- focusing on a career goal and working hard to reach it.

The difference between Shepard and other women her age is the multiple disabilities she lives with and works around to reach her goal.

The community college student must contend with relying on A+ Link, the county's public transportation system for people with disabilities.

Like other A+ Link users, Shepard must schedule the service well in advance of the trip, making a call to a special number to make an appointment to be picked up and to get a ride home again.

She has to leave home about 5 a.m. to ensure she will arrive in time for her 9 a.m. class at Valencia Community College.

When she returns home, she occasionally must wait two or three hours past the scheduled pickup time, yet if she is five minutes late at the pickup site, she'll be left behind.

And if it happens too often she could lose use of the service.

A+Link is a part of the Lynx public transportation system in Orlando and nearby counties. This service provides van transportation for individuals not able to go to bus stops, which are often in a grassy or sandy area, making them inaccessible to many with disabilities.

To qualify for A+ Link service, riders must fill out an application to prove they are unable to ride the regular buses.

When riders are eligible for Medicaid, those funds cover a portion of the cost of their rides, and the rider pays a $1.50 co-pay for compensated services such as doctor visits.

Ron Jones, Lynx manager of A+ Link, said 37 percentof riders of A+ Link use the Americans with Disability Act ride services. These are noncompensated rides that are covered by ADA funds that come from local jurisdictions (from the Lynx general operating fund that comes from city, county and state taxes, as well as federal funds).

Lynx recently announced a fare increase, beginning Nov. 1. Fliers were put along the regular bus routes to explain the reasons for the increase, which does not affect riders of the regular fixed route buses. A+ Link van drivers were supposed to make the fliers available to their riders, but it didn't happen in a timely manner.

The interesting thing about the flier is the wording, which Shepard and other riders felt was imparting a negative image of disabled riders to the public.

It states: "Lynx will cover the vast majority of the increased cost [of A+ Link] with money normally spent on buses, shelters and facilities.''

That leaves the public with another excuse to dislike disabled riders because their use of transportation services appears to be keeping regular bus route riders from enjoying new buses, comfortable shelters, and other facilities Lynx might provide if not for the disabled riders of the A+ Link service.

This is upsetting for disabled people who rely on public transportation, especially when A+ Link service is so spotty.

At a recent meeting, some users asked if the increased fees would mean better service.

Shepard, for one, would like to see improvements, including a reduction in the one- to two-hour wait on the phone when Lynx puts her on hold, when she is trying to schedule a ride. Jones said there aren't enough staffers to fill the existing openings for phone appointments. (The office is wheelchair-accessible, so this might be a job opportunity for some of you!)

For more information on the fare increase, or other issues regarding A+ Link, there will be a Lynx Governing Board meeting at 2:30 p.m. Oct 26 at the Orange County Public Schools Board Room, 445 W. Amelia St., or contact Ron Jones, manager of A+ Link operations at: 407-841-2279, Ext. 3022.